KidsHubsTV

To facilitate a truly global conversation, we ask Christian leaders from around the world to respond to the Global Conversation’s lead articles. These points of view do not necessarily represent the Lausanne Movement. They are designed to stimulate discussion from all points of the compass and from different segments of the Christian community. Please add your perspective by posting a comment so that we can learn and grow together in the unity of the Spirit.

A response to:

Big Vision Simple Ideas – Wendy Strachan

Wendy firstly thank you for this amazingly comprehensive and completely inspiring article. I am challenged and excited by it and as soon as I finished reading it wondered how I could make everyone I know in ‘Christendom’ read it!!!  Praise God for the insights He has given you and may we all continue to bring God’s kingdom to children in our small corners of the world, daily, weekly, year by year.

The “I wonder…” challenges encourage us to think about what this would look like in our context, in our community. So…once my heartbeat’s stilled enough to help me type something sensible I wondered if sharing one discipling idea that is simple yet flexible but not simplistic would show us what this could look like.

What have our hobbies or skills got to do with God and life? A whole lot!

KidsHubs (www.kidshubs.com) is a growing discipling movement helping regular church folk find connections between a skill they can teach and sharing the Bible with children in their midst (see www.kidshubs.com). What began as an idea birthed in the Global Children’s Forum (GCF) is becoming an effective tool to disciple children while teaching them valuable skills for life.

Already children in Chennai & Kolkata have gained video & media skills; orphans in Liberia have set up their own market garden; young teens are hosting a weekly radio program for kids in Tanzania and a lunchtime school group in Australia have been doing drama. All of them learning about God and connecting their newfound skills with the Bible.

Linked with this is KidsHubTV. A weekly (or in the case of the version being broadcast in Madagascar) a daily half hour kids show that mirrors a local KidsHub group. It’s a globally reproducible TV show hosted by children and adults featuring locally produced KidsHubs content and animated Bible narratives. The desire is to have like-minded shows broadcast in many nations, to encourage children and children’s ministry everywhere. Across Madagscar KidsHubTV is a daily prime time broadcast with Kids Clubs popping up around the country as a consequence. Also, church ministers seek further training as more children attend local churches.

In India, 13 Hindi episodes are in production and expected to air nationally in 2013 (see http://youtu.be/snabp_gGmlA). Planning is underway for Africa and South East Asia.

This excites me immensely but I’m reminded as I read your article Wendy that even in these great mission initiatives the relationship one-on-one with the child in our midst can get lost amidst the busyness of running such an exciting program. I run a weekly lunchtime club at a local school and have taught kids God’s Word plus skills in vegetable gardening, drama and making videos. And every week I have to stop myself & take time with each child & each conversation and forget the need to pass on the skill over ‘relating’ honestly with that child in that moment.  Being ‘Jesus with skin on’ is both hard and wonderful! So we continue!

I regularly remember the wise words of a dear brother in Christ Bishop Emmanuel from Liberia who’s model of listening & taking time to talk & ‘be’ with ex child soldiers & orphans in his midst is reaping rich fruit for the kingdom in seeing children growing up in Christ to maturity.

Thank you Wendy, thank you brothers & sisters I know & love and am inspired by who are too many to name here. We keep going for His name’s sake and for his children!

Libby Horton, Logosdor